Falcon & The Winter Soldier: 10 Biggest Takeaways From Episode Two
Even more of the shield's complicated legacy was revealed on Disney+.
The first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier wasn't a bad entry by any stretch, but it may have been a little underwhelming. After the rollercoaster ride that was WandaVision, Sam and Bucky had a lot of expectations to live up to, and the slow beginning to their story may have fallen short of them.
However, the second episode saw the series take a huge step up in terms of quality. Sam and Bucky came together to fight the Flag Smashers, fans were given a deeper look at John Walker, and a huge US government cover up from the 1950s was revealed.
Not only did the second chapter of the story further the narrative significantly, building on the foundations laid down in the first episode, it also saw more character development than Sam and Bucky have ever really been afforded in the past.
There was so much crammed into the 50 minute run time, and a lot for fans to unpack, but there were some things that were more important than others, potentially impacting the MCU further than just this episode, and even this one series.
10. Maybe John Walker Doesn't Deserve The Hate
At the end of episode one, though Sam Wilson donated the shield to the Smithsonian Museum, the MCU introduced its new Captain America. Thanks to the circumstances in which he was given the shield, who he was essentially replacing, and the betrayal of Sam Wilson, John Walker was immediately despised by the entire MCU fan base.
Episode two gave the character a little more background, however. He is the only man in American history to have received three medals of honour, he worked in counter terrorism and hostage rescue, his physical abilities are off the charts despite the distinct lack of any enhancement, and he is surprisingly good with the shield.
Fans may never warm to him as Captain America, but it's possible that he is genuinely just trying to be the best Cap he can be. After all, he is a war hero, and surely he would have to be crazy to turn down the offer to take on the mantle.
On the other hand however, John Walker may ultimately earn even more hatred from fans, as there was certainly a darker side to him teased as he warned Sam and Bucky to stay out of his way.